Knockdown piano.



(I. M. HOPPHAN.

KNOGKDOWN PIANO.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 24, 1913.

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Patented Jan. 13, 1914.

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fizz/e 72%77' Y M N Patented Jan. 13, 1914.

J. M. HOPPHAN.

KNOOKDOWN PIANO.

APPLICATION FILED 111 11.24, 191s.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN MARTIN HOPPHAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 LYON & HEALY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

KNOCKDOWN PIANO.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN MARTIN Hor- PI-IAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Knockdown Pianos, of which the following is a specifi cation.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in knock-down pianos, and the particular object of my invention is to provide a piano which can be taken down and divided into units of such size that they may be placed upon pack-animals, such as mules, burros, llamas, and the like, and be transported over mountain trails, and similar difiicult country, to places where it would be impossible to take a piano of ordinary construction.

A further object of my invention is to provide a piano of this class which may be set up by any one without requiring any special knowledge of piano construction, or the use of any special tools.

With the foregoing and other objects in view my invention consists in certain constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts, the preferred form of which will be first described in connection with the accompanying drawings, and then the invention particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings wherein the same part is designated by the same reference numeral wherever it occurs, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of the case of my preferred form of knock-down piano partly assembled. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one end of the same, showing the same as separated from the engaging portions thereof illustrated in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the key bottom. Fig. 4 is a section taken on lines 4 of Figs. 2 and 3, showing the engaging parts of the key bottom and end in position. Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5 of Figs. 1 and 2, showing the parts in position. Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 6 of Fig. 1, showing however a section of a portion of the key bottom in position, and Fig. 7 is a section taken on line 7 of Fig. 1.

10 designates the back of the case, said back having a front portion 11, side portions 12 and a top portion 13. Preferably, and as shown, reinforcing rails 45 extend between Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 24, 1913.

Patented Jan. 13,1914.

Serial No. 763,313.

the side portions 12 and the front portion 11, as shown in Fig. 5. The side portions 12 are each provided with a plurality of under cut tenons 14, three being shown, which are adapted to engage a plurality of under cut mortises 15 in the ends 16 of the case, the tenons 14 and the mortises 15 thus forming dovetailed joints. hen the end of the case is in position with the tenon 14 engaging the mortises 15 screws 17 may be passed from the rear of the back 10 through the holes 18, 18, to securely lock the ends of the case to the back. In Fig. 1 the right-hand end of the casing is shown thus locked in position, and in Fig. 5 one of the screws 17 is illustrated.

Permanently secured to the interior of each end 16 of the case is a post 19, and beneath the lower end of each post is also permanently secured a crosswise extending foot 20, with its lower edge substantially flush with the lower edge of the side. Each of the feet 20 is provided at its central portion beneath the post 19 with a dovetailed mortise 21, into which is adapted to be inserted the dovetailed tenon 22 of the base 23. The base 23 is, as usual, provided with openings 21 in which the pedals are mounted.

The inner side of each of the ends 16 is provided with a plurality of dovetailed tenons 25, two being shown, which are located adjacent each other, and extend from the front edge of each side 16 back until they engage the front surface of the back 10 when the ends are in position.

26 designates the key bottom having the sides 27. This key bot-tom is of any ordinary or desired construction, except that the sides 27 on their exterior are provided with the dovetailed mortises 28, which are adapted to engage the tenons 25, and thus support the key bottom in position between the end 16. In order to prevent accidental removal of the key bottom I preferably provide screws 29 which are passed through openings in the sides 27 of the key bottom and into the tenons 25.

31 designates one of the consoles, the other being omitted for the sake of clearness, and each console has a dovetailed mortise 32 in its upper face, and a similar mortise 33 in its lower face. These mortises extend short of the front of the console.

Each foot 20 is provided with a dovetailed tenon 34:, of a length to fill the mortise 33 of the console. At each end of the key bottom there is provided a dove-tailed tenon to engz'lge the mortise 32 in the top of each console. It will be seen therefore that after the key bottom has been placed in the posit-ion described the consoles may be caused to engage the tenons 3a and 35 and slip into the position indicated at the right-hand end of Fig. 1, when they may be secured in position by suitable screws passed through the holes 36 in the post 19.

The sounding-board carrying the harp which parts are not illustrated is of any ordinary or desired construction, and is secured to the back 10 in the usual or desired way, at the factory before the piano is shipped. I have also not illustrated the keys and hammer mechanism, which are also of ordinary type, and secured in any ordinary or desired way. Furthermore I have not illustrated either the front part above the key-board, or the front part below the key-board at the top, as these parts are co1n monly made removable in pianos, and form no Dart of my invention.

I am aware that considerable variation is possible in the details of construction herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I do not intend to limit myself thereto, except as pointed out in the following claims, in which it is my intention to claim all the novelty inherent in the structure shown and described as broadly as the state of the art will permit.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A piano case having a back, ends detachably secured to the back, a post secured to the inner face of each end, feet eXtending below and on each side of the post, consoles detachably secured to the feet and post, a bottom rail detachably connecting the feet, and a key bottom detachably secured to the end, the connections detachably securing the parts together being concealed when the case is completely assembled.

2. A piano case having a back, ends, means detachably securing the ends and back together, a key bottom, means detachably securing the key bottom to the ends, a pair of posts, one secured to the inner face of each end, feet below the post, a bottom rail, means detachably connecting the bottom rail to the feet, and pair of consoles detachably secured to the key bottom, post and feet, the connections detachably securing the parts together being concealed. when the case is completely assembled.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN MARTIN I-IOPPHAN.

itnesses COLUMBUS FREY, G120. S. LANGLEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patentl, Washington, I). G. 

